Guide for aiming a cue ball at an object ball

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a pool and billiard table cover for use in playing and teaching pool and billiards comprising, a table cover constructed of appropriate material, the cover being provided with &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;spots&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; and &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;rings&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; as best shown in the drawings to assist a player and student in aiming. Each ring concentrically surrounds a spot and is twice the diameter of a standard pool ball.

United States Patent Thorton [54] GUIDE FOR AIMING'A CUE BALL AT AN OBJECT BALL [72] Inventor: Dudley Thorton, 421 S. Morgan,

Warrenton, Mo. 63383 22 Filed: June 15,1970

211 Appl. No.: 46,232

[52] US. Cl ..273l6, 35/29 R, 273/14 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63d 15/00 [58] Field of Search ..273/2, 14, 3 R, 3 A, 6, 7;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1915 Nathan 1,669,822 5/1928 Gregg.... ..273/3 R 3,466,038 9/1969 Hill ..273/14 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 152,5 89 10/1920 Great Britain ..273/3 A 1 Dec. 5, 1972 OTHER PUBLICATIONS The Brunswick-Balke-X Collender Co. Advertisement in Brunswick Billiard and Bowling Supply Catalog, p. 26, Nov. 13, 1928.

Great Britain ..273/2 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer Attorney-Roger M. Hibbits [57 ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a pool and billiard table cover for use in playing and teaching pool and billiards comprising, a table cover constructed of appropriate material, the cover being provided with spots and rings as best shown in the drawings to assist a player'and student in aiming. Each ring concentrically surrounds a spot and is twice the diameter of a standard pool ball.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures PATENIEnnEc 51912 3.704.887

INVENTOF? DUDLEY THORNTON BY y -21 ATTORNEW GUIDE FOR AIMING A CUE BALL AT AN OBJECT BALL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known to the teacher, player and student of billiards and pool angular shots, i.e., where the cue ball and the object ball are not on a line with the desired pocket, represent a substantial portion of the shots taken during any game.

Devices to assist players in properly aiming the cue ball have been available, however, they usually involve bulky mechanical devices, which aside from their bulkiness, tend to alter the pool table environment to such an extent that it is difficult to utilize any teaching acquired with such a device on an ordinary table.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a pool and billiard table cover, said cover provided with .a plurality of rings and spots, as best seen in the drawings, which will assist a student in developing a proper aiming technique.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a device which relates to the ordinary pool and billiard table environment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a device which is simply and economically manufactured.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a device which is readily used for teaching proper aiming techniques.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a device which may be used for various new games of pool.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a device which is useful to young amateurs, or children, to practice the arts covered.

These together with other objects and advantages, which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details and construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed reference being bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a pool table provided with a cover constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the pool table shown in FIG. I.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate practical embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 1, designates in perspective the pool table cover, 1, on pool table, 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, pool table cover, I, which comprises a conventional cover of appropriate material, provided with rings, 9, and spots, 10, is installed on pool table, 2, which is typically provided with bumpers, 3, base, 6, and pockets, 8. Bumpers, 3, are typically constructed of an elastic material, 4, covered with bum er cover, 5.

In IG. 2, the pool table, 2, IS shown in plan view and illustrates the method of using pool table cover, I, in aiming cue ball, 7, so that it is in the proper position, 7', when it strikes object ball, 11, to drive object ball, 11, into pocket, 8.

In ordinary situations the diameter of cue ball, 7, is the same as that of object ball, 11. In such a case the diameter or ring, 9, is 2 times the diameter of the balls. The diameter of spot, 10, is not critical but should be consistent with the purposes of the device.

It is quite clear that, excluding bank shots, the optimum path of object ball, 1 1, on its way to pocket, 8, is along path, 12. It is also clear in the layout shown in FIG. 2, that if cue ball, 7, travels along path, I3, and strikes object ball, 11, when cue ball, 7, is at point, 7 where the centers of cue ball, 7, and object ball, 11, lie on path, 12, then object ball, 11, will travel over path, 12, into pocket, 8.

Thus in a situation where object ball, 11, is laying on spot, 10, and cue ball, 7, is laying where shown in FIG. 2, the player or student visualizes point, 14, on ring, 9, said point, 14, being a point of intersection of path, 12, and ring, 9, and then aims cue ball, 7, such that its center will pass over point, 14.

It is clear that rings, 9, and spots, 10, may be placed on cover, 1, using light beams to form the spots and rings such that when the light source is de-energized, the spots and rings disappear. Other permanent, semipermanent and temporary facilities may be used to form rings, 9, and spots, 10. It is also clear that for some uses, spots, 10, are not necessary to utilize the invention contemplated herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a spot top pool table having a rectangular playing surface, a raised rail circumscribing said playing surface, and a pocket at each corner of said surface, the improvement comprising: a plurality of spots portrayed on said surface, each spot concentrically surrounded by a ring having a diameter twice that of a standard pool ball, each spot and its concentric ring being spaced from each other spot and ring, and each spot and ring being of a character to be'easily discernible to the unaided human eye whereby a selected ring may be used to assist in aiming a cue ball at an object ball.

* 1 III 

1. In a spot top pool table having a rectangular playing surface, a raised rail circumscribing said playing surface, and a pocket at each corner of said surface, the improvement comprising: a plurality of spots portrayed on said surface, each spot concentrically surrounded by a ring having a diameter twice that of a standard pool ball, each spot and its concentric ring being spaced from each other spot and ring, and each spot and ring being of a character to be easily discernible to the unaided human eye whereby a selected ring may be used to assist in aiming a cue ball at an object ball. 